Pacers, T.J. McConnell agree to multiyear extension

T.J. McConnell is staying put.

The veteran guard agreed to a four-year, $45 million extension with the Indiana Pacers, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Friday. ESPN first reported the deal.

McConnell, one of the top backup point guards in the NBA, was entering the final season of a four-year, $33.6 million contract he signed with the Pacers in August 2021. The 32-year-old is now under contract through the 2028-29 season, bringing the total value of his current contract to $54 million over the next five seasons.

Congrats to @TJMcConnell on his multi-year extension with the @Pacers! His incredible story continues in Indy. pic.twitter.com/TjrLZTQeoc

— Priority Sports (@PrioritySports) August 30, 2024

Indiana rewarded McConnell after arguably his best NBA season, which helped catapult the Pacers into the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a decade. McConnell averaged a career-high 10.2 points, shot 55.6 percent from the field and posted 5.5 assists in just over 18.2 minutes per game during the regular season.

Advertisement

The 6-foot-1 guard, who went undrafted in 2015, continued to be a spark plug for Indiana in the postseason. McConnell averaged a playoff career-high 11.8 points and 5.1 assists per game, highlighted by a 23-point, nine-rebound and six-assist performance in a narrow loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

McConnell’s extension is the latest move in a busy summer for the Pacers, who extended Andrew Nembhard and retained Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin in free agency.

Eastern Conference outlook

After an underdog run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, Indiana will try to establish itself as a perennial contender in 2024-25. The Pacers’ quest to do so won’t be easy with the Celtics’ core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown being in the prime of their careers, the Philadelphia 76ers landing Paul George in free agency, the New York Knicks trading for Mikal Bridges and the Milwaukee Bucks hoping for a healthier superstar duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

Not to mention Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic, having something to say.

McConnell’s extension, which will see him turn 37 in the final year, proves Indiana is willing to bet on itself anyway, even at the expense of paying a likely past-his-prime McConnell handsomely down the line. The Pacers’ front office believes McConnell’s fearless and galvanizing style of play, coupled with All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton leading the way, is worth it as Indiana tries to capitalize on its current window.

“I don’t know what you can say more about T.J. (and) what he has meant to this team,” Indiana general manager Chad Buchanan said in March. “Beloved by his teammates, his coaches, the staff, the fans – he’s what you want an Indiana Pacer to be about. This season, he’s 32 years old, but he’s not slowing down. I don’t think you see any sign of an aging player.”

Advertisement

The Pacers haven’t made consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances since George, who last played for Indiana in 2017, was the franchise cornerstone. If they plan to change that in 2024-25, McConnell will likely be a catalyst and perhaps even a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

“His value to us is obviously very, very high,” Buchanan continued. “That has not changed by anything that happened this year, and I hope that he’s with us for a very long time.”

Required reading

• Indomitable T.J. McConnell: Despite 3-0 hole, Pacers backup point guard won’t let Indiana quit
• What’s next for Pacers? Conference finals run shows path to sustainable success
• Pacers overwhelm Bucks with turbocharged play, and T.J. McConnell was the catalyst